The Wonderful Universe
by DBStudio
Summary: This universe is quite vast and there are many things that are inside of it. But the universe that they live in, the one that they love the most is between their own family. Follow the Gems on a path of self-discovery, healing, humor, love and family. Raising Steven, taking care of one another or fighting off menacing creatures. It will be okay in this wonderful universe.
1. A Garnet

**A Garnet**

Steven didn't have a mom. He didn't have someone to pet his head at night or to tell him about how his gem specifically worked. He never saw her beautiful smile or get to know all of the things about her that everyone else saw. Like how her dad would smile at her pictures and laugh about things that he didn't even know about. Or how Pearl and Amethyst would talk about how much she meant to them but when they talked about what she did, they'd clam up and be quiet for a long time. It was only Garnet that didn't do those things. She didn't make Steven feel like he was missing out on his mom.

Sitting on the steps kicking his feet back and forth, Steven stared at the beach as the water came to and fro. It was times like these that he wondered if itw as really worth giving up her physical form for him. He placed his hand to his gem. Although he was grateful for all it gave him, sometimes, he thought it would be nicer if his mom was there instead. But they said it so themselves, the two of them couldn't exist at the same time. It could only be one or the other and he'd never make his mom choose between himself and her.

She saw the beauty in everything. Even his own selfishness.

"Steven, what are you doing out here?"

Jumping to attention, Steven smiled at seeing Garnet. She came and sat next to him although her legs had to stretch out instead of swinging like his could.

"You're thinking about Rose, aren't you?"

"No fair, you're using future sight, aren't you?"

"No. I just know you."

Steven blinked once and then twice. Looking at his own reflection in Garnet's sunglasses, he even seemed lost then too. Looking down at his feet he let out another sigh and drew them close to his chest.

"Garnet. Why is it that I'm the only one who didn't get to know her? Everyone else does, and I'm only able to see her through their memories or that one time when Amethyst was being mean to dad. I wish.. I really do wish that-"

"Steven."

A hand touched his shoulder and drug him close to her side. He could feel Garnet's warmth but it wasn't only hers. It was the warmth of two other gems that fused to make Garnet. He looked up at her with small tears in the corners of his eyes. A light flashed and the hand was gone, instead, two people sat on either side of him. One girl that was very red, and the other was very blue.

"Sapphire and Ruby!" He exclaimed. "Y-You didn't have to unfuse, I'm going to be fine. See?"

He tried to force a smile onto his face but the tears were too much. Sapphire held his hand and rested her cheek on his shoulder. Ruby wrapped her arm around his shoulders, fingers nestled in Sapphire's hair and their foreheads pressed together. Steven cried, sniffled and sobbed. But they didn't leave him at all. Though somewhere in that moment, he felt arms wrap around him and tilted his head back to find Garnet smiling at him once again.

"Its okay, Steven. I did it to show you something. Even when someone is not with you physically, they still love you. What Rose Quartz did for you was out of pure love. She loved the child that she was bringing into this world much more than herself, Greg, and even us. She loved you, Steven. And I am certain that if she was here, she would tell you the same. But in her place, I hope that you accept our feelings. Even as Ruby and Sapphire, or as Garnet, I will always love you, Steven Quartz Universe."

Steven's lip trembled and he turned in the embrace to hug her close to him sobbing. Garnet held him to her and somewhere, she could see a silhouette of Rose looming over them giving her an appreciative smile. But she didn't do this for Rose, Pearl, Amethyst, Greg, or anyone else in the entire universe. She did it for her one and only Steven.


	2. I Love You

**I Love You**

"So, you're Ruby and you're Sapphire?"

Ruby rolled her eyes and scoffed for the umpteenth time. Sitting on the couch that sat in their living room, Sapphire and Ruby had un-fused to meet their favorite person in the galaxy. Steven Universe.

"But why did you wait to tell me until now? I mean, I didn't think there was a special reason on why Garnet had so many eyes. It just made her cooler."

Ruby smirked a little at this but she could see the confusion in Steven's features. The feelings of hurt, slight rejection, and sadness passing through those eyes that she loved so much. Wanting to reach out to touch his cheek, Sapphire beat her to it instead. Like this, they were all around the same height. So it wasn't difficult for her to wrap her arms around the boy's neck and pull him into a hug. Steven's eyes were wide and he looked at Sapphire from the side before engulfing her in a hug. Climbing down from her perch, Ruby joined the hug pressing the both of them close to her. Her most important people.

"We love you, Steven. But at the time, you needed more than just four strangers raising you. You needed someone who could be a mother for you, the mother that you didn't have. I know it doesn't make up for keeping a secret from you, but we only did what we had to because we love you."

Sapphire's voice was calm and cool as she spoke and even Ruby felt the power in her voice. Steven's hold on them tightened a little. Ruby bit the inside of her cheek before looking to the side, her cheeks darkening into a carmine red.

"Besides, how can you tell a little baby about this kind of stuff anyway?"

Steven leaned back to look at her and Sapphire giggled. Ruby's blush only deepened as she retracted her arms and folded them.

"I mean, compared to us, you're just a little baby still. So don't get so uppity about it."

Steven's eyebrows knitted together in confusion but Sapphire gave him a light pat to the arm with a finger to her lips. Leaning over when Ruby wasn't paying attention, she pressed a kiss to the other's cheek. Ruby's body went rigid and a silly smile formed on her lips as she lazily stared at Sapphire. Normally, kisses were rather weird things to do in front of a kid. But Steven couldn't help but smile and watch them as they looked at one another. Is this what Garnet had been made up of? So much love and happiness that was contained in such small people?

Even more than that..

"What did you guys mean by.. 'we already love you'?"

Ruby and Sapphire looked at him almost in unison and Steven could feel his heart drop into his stomach. Ruby rubbed the back of her neck and Sapphire gently smiled. But they both reached out for him, Ruby's hand on his head ruffling his hair like Garnet always did and Sapphire's on his cheek cupping it and causing him to smile and blush.

"Exactly what we said, we love you, Steven."

Their voices sounded just like Garnet's in unison and he couldn't help but feel his eyes overwhelm with tears. A light flash and the two had become one, Garnet kneeling before him with her sunglasses in place. Steven wrapped his arms around her torso and pressed his cheek against her chest with small tears falling.

"I love you too, Garnet."

The fusion smiled softly and hugged the boy close to her giving Pearl and Amethyst a glance as they stood around the corner. She gave them a thumbs up before returning to hugging Steven.

Best birthday ever.


	3. Rose

I really wish that you could see the man that Steven is becoming. Yeah, he's only ten. But he's becoming something that I could never dream of. He's so much like you too. Inspiring, fun-loving, he sees the beauty in everything, and he's always there to cheer me up. To be honest - I'm often scared of losing him. Its not his fault or the Gems, maybe its just because I'm still shaken up from losing you. I didn't know what to do when I was staring at that little bundle and you were gone. I felt so lost. The Gems, they must think that I'm just some useless hunk of junk. That I can't do anything for Steven.

But Steven needs me, you said it yourself. He needs his father and I'm going to be there for my son. Even if I don't know what to do. Everyday it is like Steven is teaching me something new, if not about myself but about the world. And the kid gives me so many scares! Did you know that Pearl said she was going to take him away for fifty years?! I would be dead by then! But that doesn't matter. Steven is home, and he's alright. I'm just so scared that something will happen to him.

I know, it must seem silly to you. I mean you believed in him even before he was born. I always heard you. Talking to him as if he was actually there in front of you. Smiling at him even if you couldn't see him, I knew that you loved him. If no one else believed in Steven, Rose, it was you. Even when he didn't believe in himself, even when I ruined things for him with his powers - you were what kept him going weren't you? You wanted him to remember what he was meant for, what he could do.

Rose.

Steven will never be you.

Because Steven is Steven.

And I won't project my feelings and sadness for you onto my son. Because I love Steven, and I love you. And since you're not here, I'll love our son for the two of us and help him in any way that I can.

I love you, Rose.

Thank-you for everything and giving me Steven.

See you again one day.


	4. Love Like You

**Love Like You**

Sometimes dancing was a rather hard thing to do. It wasn't the factor of putting one foot in front of the other or even the twists and turns. It was more of having to conform with the other person and match them move from move. Trying to teach Steven how to do a fusion dance with them wasn't going fairly well. Pearl was aware of this and she couldn't help but groan in a mixture of annoyance and irritation. It should have been so easy. Rose would never have had this much issue. But watching him laugh while Garnet ruffled his hair and Amethyst gave him a support clap on the back, she was painfully aware of the fact that he wasn't Rose. Steven was just a child, a product that Rose and Greg created, and he was also a Crystal Jem.

His eyes met hers, two rather large irises that were filled with excitement and adoration. Running towards the pale fragile gem, he reached out to grasp her hand in his own and pulled her over to help them dance again. Pearl was helpless in his grasp even though she could wrench her hand away or push him away from her. But something inside of her wouldn't allow her to do so. She listened to Steven, listened to him gab on and practice on his own although failing and giving her a silly smile. The smallest of smiles formed on Garnet's lips and Amethyst howled with laughter, but Pearl stared at him in awe.

Even though he was far from graceful.

Even if he didn't really have any battle capabilities.

Steven was still trying.

So that meant that she should try too, didn't it?

Reaching out to touch his head, Steven stopped in his awkward movements as he tried to emulate Garnet's part of their fusion. He looked up at her with a mixture of curiosity and woe. The look in his eyes showing that he was really trying albeit failing. She offered him a soft smile and kneeled down to press an affectionate kiss to his forehead. Steven giggled a little and rubbed his forehead.

"You're going to figure it out, Steven, I just know you will."

"Yeah, if anyone is going to figure this out faster it'll be you Steven," Garnet chimed in.

"Yeah! You the man!" Amethyst piped up.

Steven beamed. His smile was so bright and full of love and light. Just like her. And somewhere in her heart, Pearl felt the love and adoration she felt for Rose shift to Steven. Rose was no longer here, and nothing she could do would ever bring her back. And if Rose was here, that meant that they would lose Steven.

Rose or Steven.

She'd never be able to make a choice between the two. So maybe if she helped raise Steven, learned from him, laughed with him, she'd eventually learn how to love just like him.


End file.
